How I spend my free time: I love to spend time with my family (I have a very large, extended family, and we try to get together several times a year), my two springer spaniels, Ruger and Remy; and on the water (boating, fishing, clamming). My hobbies also include cooking, baking and reading. I am an "NCIS" fanatic.

Teacher who inspired me: George Flanagan. He was my junior high science teacher and never let me get away with saying, "I don't know." He always expected an answer, even if it was incorrect. He always encouraged me throughout high school and college, and eventually he became my mentor when I began teaching.

Why I find science inspiring: I love science because it affects everything we do in life. Science helps us to understand the world around us and makes our lives easier by the technology we use. Science also inspires students because it has the fun "toys" and hands-on activities that allow students to explore topics, not just hear about them or see them on a screen. Understanding science allows students to gain insight into things they see every day and also allows them to make better choices to live a healthier lifestyle.

Funniest classroom moment: I was working with a student who was struggling to catch up on his missing assignments. After the student had completed his work, I put the grades into the grading program right away to show him how his grade was affected. His comment was, "Wow, so if I actually do my work and hand it in, I will do well in science class." I share this story with all of my classes at the beginning of each school year to stress the importance of doing the assigned work.

If I weren't an educator, I'd be: I would be a pediatrician because I love helping children learn and solving puzzles. A big part of being a doctor is not only helping people who are sick but also helping to educate them about how to live healthy lives.

You might not know: I used to raise and train quarter horses and one time actually hand-delivered a foal, and both the foal and mother survived.

In Our Schools is a weekly feature spotlighting teachers and administrators educating students in Berks County schools.